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2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe: Drive Review

November 20, 2011

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series coupe is the fourth installment in the track-oriented series. Photo by Merecedes

What is it?

The fourth installment in AMG's track-oriented Black Series, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series coupe goes on sale in the United States next March. The limited-production coupe, based on the C63 AMG coupe, joins the SLK55 AMG, the CLK55 AMG and the SL65 AMG as a Black Series offering.

One fleeting glance is enough to tell you that this is no ordinary C63 AMG coupe. The standard body was heavily massaged to supply additional cooling to its upgraded engine, accommodate a modified chassis and provide the basis for a race-grade aerodynamic package. The result is one of the meanest-looking road-going Mercedes-Benzes we've ever laid our eyes on. It looks fast--really fast--just standing still.

Sitting under the ducted hood is AMG's naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 kicking out 510 hp at 6,200 rpm and 457 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm, some 57 hp and 133 lb-ft more than the naturally aspirated 4.4-liter V8 engine of the BMW M3 GTS. It's the same engine used in the standard C63 AMG coupe but with some lightweight internal parts and a larger inlet manifold that combine to improve overall throttle response and boost power.

As with previous Black Series models, AMG pared down the C63 in a bid to raise performance. Among the parts not deemed necessary is the back seat. But it is certainly no lightweight, with a claimed curb weight of 3,770 pounds.

Power is channeled to the rear wheels via AMG's seven-speed multiclutch transmission (MCT) and a revised version of the C63 coupe AMG's optional locking differential that provides greater lockup, both under load and on overrun. Official figures put the 0-to-60-mph time at 4.2 seconds, and the top speed is limited to 186 mph.

What is it like to drive?

It's surprisingly straightforward for a car whose development has concentrated largely on how it performs at the track. There is nothing particularly tricky to learn before you feel you can confidently explore its limits, even at a place like the Laguna Seca circuit in California, where Mercedes-Benz launched the C63 AMG Black Series coupe.

You simply climb into the heavily contoured driver's seat with its nonadjustable backrest and carbon-fiber shell, buckle up, crank the key in the ignition to the right of the wonderfully proportioned flat-bottom steering wheel, slot the stubby gear lever back three notches and accelerate away. Dialing the AMG Performance Control switch into sport-plus mode places the steering, damping, gearbox and electronic-stability program all in their most extreme settings.

At speed, the sheer flexibility of the power delivery grabs your attention. With such abundant torque, the C63 AMG Black Series hauls from 2,000 rpm all the way up to the 7,000-rpm redline with startling performance.

With some heat in the tires, you become immediately aware of the added response from the powertrain and the reworked chassis. The grip levels are so high that you only begin to approach the limits through tighter corners. But there are a couple of tricky turns at Laguna Seca that allow you to explore the edge of the dynamic envelope in relative safety. Do so, and contrary to what you might imagine, the C63 AMG Black Series proves easier to control than the regular C63 AMG.

Because there is greater traction at the front end, it is able to carry more speed up to the apex. Once committed, the C63 AMG Black Series is better balanced than its standard sibling, displaying less initial understeer and greater neutrality when you unleash its substantial performance at the exit.

That's not to say that it won't entertain the idea of oversteer. It does, but only with a good deal of provocation and with the ESP switched either to sport-plus or--if you're really game--off completely. However, breakaway is telegraphed in a wonderfully progressive fashion, and the lines of communication between chassis and driver are so clear, it is easily controlled on the throttle--more so than with the standard C63 AMG coupe.

From a dynamic viewpoint, there's only one real criticism. The multiclutch gearbox, based on Mercedes-Benz's seven-speed automatic but with an automated clutch in place of the torque converter, lacks the rapid-fire qualities of contemporary dual-clutch units. Even in sport-plus mode, there a defined pause between pulling back on the steering-wheel-mounted paddle to when the next gear engages.

As we've only driven the C63 AMG Black Series on the track, any conclusion about its ride quality and ability to deal with everyday driving conditions will have to wait until we are able to test one on more familiar roads.

Do I want one?

Are you kidding? The C63 AMG Black Series coupe is an absolute riot. It would be easy to label it as nothing more than a track-day irreverence and suggest that the standard C63 AMG is all you need. But once you drive it, you come to appreciate the detailed improvements that combine to make it such a spectacularly exciting car. Now that we've tasted its driving delights, we can't wait for more seat time.